Just watching the Ireland v Scotland highlights including that butchered Huw Jones pass to Hogg.

In the background you see Earls sprinting back to provide cover and I reckon he would have got to Hogg before the tryline. Momentum probably would have carried Hogg over but Earls did well to cover the ground he did having initially been chipped over.

Just posted on the official thread that kudos to Sexton for forcing Jones to pass by nailing his tackle. It's what we're taught from minis on, make your tackle and force the oppo to make the pass to score. Jones couldn't.

Just watching the Ireland v Scotland highlights including that butchered Huw Jones pass to Hogg.

In the background you see Earls sprinting back to provide cover and I reckon he would have got to Hogg before the tryline. Momentum probably would have carried Hogg over but Earls did well to cover the ground he did having initially been chipped over.

Earls is fairly rapid and might have challenged Hogg in a foot race at his peak speed but I doubt he's as quick anymore. Hogg must be one of the fastest international backs at the moment?

I think Earls might now be quicker than ever as he seems to have settled on his optimum weight, and he was eating up the ground on Jones (also thinking of how he got back to make the tackle in the Italian game). I think he might have got to Hogg on the angle but doubt very much that he’d have stopped a try unless Hogg had to adjust to gather the ball.

Shame Super Rob had to go full scud there, you wonder if he knew where Sexton was.

Think Kearney was going for the ball and hoping for a more favourable bounce.

This. Bounce rather than Jones beat him.

Hard to know if it was the right decision though. Looking at it again, I think not. He should have forgotten about the ball, the flight of it was never going to give a forward enough bounce.

Also, on Earls getting Hogg, think Hogg would have been able to step him easily enough.

I agree. He obv. thought he'd get the ball though. In retrospect standing back and smashing Jones when he caught it would have been the correct decision. It was a super bit of skill from Jones though, the chip had to be high enough to clear Earls yet soft enough not to travel too far so it couldn't be regathered.

We had a Kiwi coach when we went up to the AIL and his mantra for the back three on one on ones or two on ones was always make the attacker make a decision, and don't make it for them, and if possible make them pass. I hadn't noticed Jonny's body position before reading this but its a lesson for any wannabe back three player, as is Earls workrate.

We had a Kiwi coach when we went up to the AIL and his mantra for the back three on one on ones or two on ones was always make the attacker make a decision, and don't make it for them, and if possible make them pass. I hadn't noticed Jonny's body position before reading this but its a lesson for any wannabe back three player, as is Earls workrate.

And pretty clear that Jones should have passed well before he got near Sexton. Hogg would have easily rounded the latter.

Am I right in saying that Hogg was offside when Jones kicked the ball, he was retreating but turned and chased from an offside position?

He wasn't within 10 metres of where the kick landed so doesn't have to retreat, and was then brought onside b Hogg after he gathered it, so he was fine.

Ah, fair enough.

He was offside and moving towards the ball, before Jones puts him back onside by running ahead of him. Whether the ball was kicked or not is moot, he’s still ahead of a team mate with the ball. He has to retreat. Few refs would pick that up in the heat of that moment though.

jones didn’t have to run past him to put him onside, as soon he regathered everyone was in play. You can’t interfere with play if you’re ahead of the carrier but you don’t have to retreat and AFAIK you can run in any direction you want.

The offside can only be judged from the kick to the regather, a split second in this case.

Sexton does the shit all the time. He runs ahead of the ball carrier from a couple of positions further infield in anticipation of a break. When the break does come, he's put onside by it and in a great supporting position.This is similar, but just more exaggerated. He runs sideways more than anything to get across to a useful position.